Power 5 conferences to offer players more mental health services
By Andrew Olson
Published:
It’s not often you find the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 all in agreement on an issue. This past week, however, the Power 5 conferences voted at the NCAA convention to require member schools to make mental health services and resources available for student-athletes. The legislation passed 80-0 (all Power 5 schools plus 15 student-athlete representatives) during the Division I Autonomy Forum and Business Session portion of the convention, according to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson.
“It’s powerful it was passed in unanimous fashion,” Washington State AD Pat Chun told ESPN. “Stuff like this is a no-brainer for college athletics. We do a lot for our student-athletes, so I think it’s time we do something in terms of the mental health. Most, if not all, schools in the Power 5 are doing something, but the worst-case scenario is dealing with a tragedy that no school or family wants.”
Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski committed suicide in 2018. His brother, Ryan Hilinski, signed with South Carolina.
The new legislation is aimed at boosting the mental health services already provided on campus.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
